While most eyes were on the Conservative Principles Political Action Committee conference in Iowa on Saturday, many of us who follow the religious right were more interested in another conference, also held in Iowa, on Thursday and Friday. This other conference was the Rediscover God in America conference, where all the same potential 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls that appeared at the Saturday's Conservative Principles PAC conference told us what they really think -- that America should be governed by biblical law.

Sure, there was a lot of talk about important issues like the economy at the Conservative Principles PAC conference, but it was at the Rediscover God in America conference that we learned that all of our economic policies should be based on the Bible. And who did we learn this from? None other than Christian nationalist pseudo-historian David Barton, who kicked off the conference with a lengthy presentation of his usual historical hogwash. Then, one by one, as the potential Republican presidential candidates took the podium to let the audience full of pastors know just how Christian they are, each began by gushing about what a great historian and good friend David Barton is.

I'm not going to go into all the lies that were included in Barton's presentation because Barton has been giving essentially the same presentation for years with almost no changes, which is why it was kind of comical for Newt Gingrich to begin his glowing praise of Barton by saying that every time he hears Barton speak he learns something new. (For anyone who isn't already familiar with Barton's lies, there are plenty of videos and other stuff on my website debunking the most popular ones that he typically includes in his presentation).

Michele Bachmann, who has been a big fan of Barton since her days in the Minnesota legislature, when she tapped him as a history education "expert" to help pass her bill allowing the Declaration of Independence to be taught in Minnesota's public schools (she had apparently believed the ridiculous Fox News story about the Declaration being banned in California's schools), gave her usual spiel about never missing one of Barton's highly enlightening tours of the Capitol.

But the most outrageous statement by far came from Mike Huckabee, who expressed his admiration for Barton by saying that he wished that "all Americans would be forced -- forced at gunpoint no less -- to listen to every David Barton message."

Now, I wasn't watching the Rediscover God in America conference live on Thursday when Huckabee said this. I had planned on watching and recording the whole conference when it was webcast again on Saturday, so that's when I saw Huckabee's speech. I was quite surprised a few days later to come across a video clip from this conference on the People for the American Way (PFAW) Right Wing Watch blog with the headline "Huckabee: Americans Should Be Forced, At Gunpoint, To Learn From David Barton." I had watched Huckabee's speech. How on earth could I have missed a statement like that? Well, I didn't. It had been edited out of the webcast that I had watched.

Kyle Mantyla over at PFAW's Right Wing Watch had recorded Huckabee's speech when it was streamed live on Thursday, and posted the 'forced at gunpoint' clip on Friday. By Saturday, when I watched the webcast on the United in Purpose website, that part of Huckabee's speech had been edited out.

The webcast that I saw showed Barton leaving the stage as he ended his presentation, then the screen going black for a moment, and then what appeared to be the beginning of Huckabee's speech. What was edited out was Barton returning to the stage to introduce Huckabee, and the first two minutes and forty-five seconds of Huckabee's speech, during which Huckabee made his 'gunpoint' comment and praised David Lane, the man behind all of the American "Renewal" and "Restoration" projects that have popped up across the country during the past few elections. Editing out Huckabee's praising of Lane was a clever trick to make it appear that when the camera was panning over the audience giving a round of applause to Lane, the applause was for Huckabee as he was taking the stage, making it look like this the beginning of Huckabee's speech.

Here's the video from the edited Saturday webcast.

And here's the unedited video, showing the end of Barton's introduction of Huckabee and the two minutes and forty-five second beginning of Huckabee's speech that was edited out (the 'gunpoint' comment is at about 1:06).

For those not previously familiar with Chris Rodda's excellent work debunking Barton, use the search function on TTA Site Search Engine (upper right corner) and enter David Barton to find numerous articles. Rodda is also author of Liars for Jesus, one of the most extensive and well-researched efforts that I have read countering the Christian nationalist rewriting of history by Barton and others. I have a copy on my Kindle and reference it regularly.

This Christian nationalist pseudo-history has been taught to many home schoolers and in some private schools for more than two decades and has provided the foundations for much of today's Tea Party ideology. For examples of what these Christian nationalist rewrites of history (and economics) look like, see Part Two and Part Three of my "Biblical Capitalism" series.

It isn't surprising to hear Newt and Huckabee endorsing David Barton's pseudohistory. Evidently Newt passes as an intellectual in conservative circles. If Newt is an example of intellectual prowess among conservatives, heaven help us!

Mr. Huckabee said he ALMOST wished that Americans could be forced to listen to Mr. Barton's lectures at gunpoint. He doesn't actually wish it, but he almost wishes it. The caveat of 'almost' allows him some wiggle room to have a measure of plausible deniability.
Of course, if he were the POTUS (shudder), then he would probably appoint Barton as the official historian of the U.S., or some such. Then guns wouldn't be needed, because the networks would all run his lectures.
Mr. Huckabee seems to be an 'aw-shucks' likable kind of guy, but he is, at his core, a theocrat.

The 'almost' qualifier might have worked except they deleted the comment from the recorded version thus negating his 'almost' statement. You don't delete such a statement if you thought 'almost' was an out. As anyone who listens to Christianity knows, his 'almost' statement was his out. However Christians have a tell. When they lie, their mouths move. So the statement had to be removed, otherwise they'd risk understanding on the part of those who aren't a member of the choir.

I am Christian, and I despise lying and avoid it (the last lie I was forced to make was at least 12 years ago, and I still feel ashamed about it).

If you said "Good Christians" (implying the people who to paraphrase a saying 'talk the talk but don't walk the walk') I would quickly agree. But your statement is too broad, as it includes people like myself and my friends (there are UU Christians who are more interested in doing as Jesus did, rather than following doctrine).

(The "Good Christians" also don't really talk the talk, but repeat the lies told down the centuries in the churches, like "God shows his approval by giving the good people good things and punishes the wicked with misery and disaster!".)

Over that past few years, the Religious Right, whom I call the Christian Taliban, has increased their distorted invectives towards the Gay Community, Muslims, and anyone that does not conform to their dominionist ideologies. It was especially prevalent in this past election with the insane prevarications put forth by the Tea Party. If you are not white, hetero, and a biblical literalist, then you're un-American.

I have become so disgusted with these individuals that are even granted airtime to spew their interpretations of the Constitution and The Bible, that it riles my blood that these people should have the unmitigated gall to call themselves Americans, let alone Christian, for they are the very antithesis of both.

I'm so glad I came across this blog, and this Gay Christian is thanking God that I have found folk that share my ideals.

With that said, I find it disturbing that Huckabee would even jest at the notion of guns pointed at peoples heads, forced to listen to the twisted rantings of a man like Barton! IT IS NOT THE LEAST BIT FUNNY! What the hell is wrong with this man???

Once again, I would like to thank you all for being here. For so long I felt so very alone. For awhile these wingnuts had me question my own sanity and grasp on reality. I thank God in knowing that it is people like Bachmann, Barton, Perkins and Sprigg, Hagee, Palin Paul & Pawlenty, are the ones who are slipping into the rabbit's hole.

Thank you guys, I'm sure to visit this site every night. And, Chris, I'm going to order your book right away!

Earlier today I sent the following letter via Mike Huckabee's website "contact" feature:

Dear Mr. Huckabee:

I have learned that you desire to compel every American to listen, at gunpoint, if necessary, to David Barton's lectures. After prayerful consideration, and in accordance with the teachings of Jesus regarding appropriate non-violent response to oppressive demands (see Matthew 5:38-41), I conclude that because (a) I am an American, and (b) I would not willingly listen to Mr. Barton's lies and distortions of our national history, I must advise you that I am one who would be subject to your desired compulsion.

I am therefore writing to invite you, Mr. Barton, and the gun-handler of your choice, to schedule a time when you will visit me and exercise your stated desire. Please be advised of the following: (a) I do not own a television, so if Mr. Barton is not available to deliver his lecture in person, it will be necessary for you to bring along the proper equipment for display of a recorded message; (b) I intend to have three witnesses with me - one of my pastors, a representative of the local press, and an ACLU attorney. Because one of our two pastors is a Black man, and I don't know at this time which one might be available to attend, I request that you choose a gun-handler who does not harbor any racist sentiments. It would be tragic if an "accident" were to happen to an innocent witness.

Because my schedule for the spring and summer is quite busy, I suggest that you submit at least three or four proposed dates for your visit. I also invite you to read some of the articles on my blog http://singingwithcrows.blogspot.com in order to familiarize yourself with my thinking and beliefs.

These people are actually bending the religion and its teachings in something that they like and this really a bad motive. Why would these people want others to believe in what they want them to like. We are free and we have the right to think about it individually. assisted living costs

Evidence violence is more common than believed Think I've been making things up about experiencing Christian Terrorism or exaggerating, or that it was an isolated incident? I suggest you read this article (linked below in body), which is about our great......ArchaeoBob(1 comment)

Demon Mammon? An anthropologist from outer space might be forgiven for concluding that the god of this world is Mammon. (Or, rather, The Market, as depicted by John McMurtry in his book The Cancer Stage of......daerie(0 comments)

Witchhunts in Africa and the U.S.A. Nigerian human rights activist Leo Igwe has recently written at least two blog posts about how some African Pentecostal churches are sending missionaries to Europe and the U.S.A. in an attempt to "re-evangelize the......Diane Vera(2 comments)

Charles Taze Russell and John Hagee No doubt exists that Texas mega-church Pastor John Hagee would be loathe to be associated with the theology of Pastor C.T. Russell (wrongly credited with founding the Jehovah's Witnesses) but their theological orbits, while......COinMS(0 comments)

Republican infighting in Mississippi After a bruising GOP runoff election for U.S. Senator, current MS Senator Thad Cochran has retained his position and will face Travis Childers (Democrat) in the next senate election. The MS GOP is fractured......COinMS(5 comments)